UNG Newsroom

International film festival continues March 4

The University of North Georgia's World Languages and
Cultures Division kicks off the second half of the spring international film
festival on March 4 at 6:30 p.m. with the French film "Dreams of
Dust."

The international film festival is a great opportunity for
students to learn more about the cultures that are intrinsically linked with
the world languages studied at UNG. Dr. D. Brian Mann, head of the
World Languages and Cultures Division, said that the study of culture is
essential to learning a second language.

“Studying film is a particularly useful way to help
understand a culture because it offers authentic examples of language, visual
imagery, and artistic expression," Mann said. "A series of films like
this one is particularly valuable because viewers can compare and contrast
these forms of communication over a relatively short period of time, and this
allows them to form a more comprehensive understanding of how their own culture
fits into the larger global community.”

"Dreams of Dust" follows two Nigerian laborers as
they negotiate the perils of living in an African gold-mining town. The two
contend with harsh living conditions, the death of loved ones, and the constant
threat of destitution, with no one but each other to rely on. The film will be
presented in the David Potter Special Collections Room of the Library
Technology Center on the Dahlonega campus with an introduction by Dr. Anota Ijaduola, professor of
physics.

The film festival continues on March 11 at 6:30 p.m. with
"Paris, je t’aime." Introduced by Spanish Professor Dr. Jennifer
Formwalt, "Paris, je t’aime" is a collection of 18 short films from
20 of the world’s most acclaimed filmmakers. Each set in Paris, the shorts
explore the City of Lights from every angle as those within it learn about life
and love.

The last film in the series, "Lion of the Desert,"
will be shown on April 1 at 6:30 p.m. The film will be introduced by Dr. Abdeslam El Farri, professor of Arabic, and tells the story of Libyan hero Omar
Mukhtar. Set in the years before World War II, "Lion of the Desert"
pits Mukhtar and his Bedouin army against General Rudolfo Graziani, charged
with conquering Libya for the fascist Italian government of Benito Mussolini.